Steam-accumulator.



R. H. RICE @P. A. LARKIN. STEAM AGOUMULATOR. APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, 1909.

1,017,590. Patented Feb. 13,1912.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BICHABOH. RICE, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, A ND FRED A. LAB/KIN, OF. NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS T GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

STEAM-ACGUMULATOB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 8, 1909. Serial No. 506,494.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that we, RICHARD H. RICE, a

. citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, and FRED A. LARKIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, county of Kings, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Accumulators, of which the followis a specification.

. his invention relates to apparatus for utilizing the exhaust steam from one or more reciprocating engines to drlve one or more a greater quantity of cooler water into conrapid rate.

tact with the steam in a given time.

The present invent-ion consists in devices for effecting this result, and comprises a stationary drum partially filled with water, and containing an agitator, preferably a rotatable tubular shaft submerged in the water and receiving the exhaust steam from the reciprocating engine.

The shaft contains a plurality of tangential holes or nozzles, through which the steam blows into the water, and by its reaction causes the shaft to rotate, so that the jets of'steam are projected in many directions and sweep through the water at a The shaft is provided with helical projections so that it urges the water toward one end of the drum, where it flows up an incline and is projected upon a perforated shelf from which it trickles down through the steam in a plurality of streams,

and rapidly absorbs the heat.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of our improved steam accumulator. Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same. Fig. 3 shows a portion of the shaft, and Fig. 4 is an outline elevation of a reciprocating engine, a low-pressure turbine, and an interposed steam accumulator.

not on radial lines.

The drum 1 is sufficiently large to contain a considerable guantity of water, which nearly fills it. t each end of the drum, and preferably projecting inwardl from the head thereof, is a journal or gud geo-n 2. The two journals are in axial almement so that a tubular shaft 3 can be journaled thereon, preferably by means of ball bearings 4. The exhaust pipe 5 of the reciprocating engine 6 discharges into one endof said shaft, which is wholly submerged beneath the surface of the water in the drum. Holes 7 are drilled through said'shaft but They are preferably tangent to the inner surface of the tubular shaft, and are'all inclined in the same direction with respect to the radii intersecting their ends. These holes serve as nozzles for the escape of the steam entering the shaft from the pipe 5. The jet-s of steam issuing from said nozzles not only penetrate the water and agitate it, but they react upon the water and cause a rapid rotation of the shaft, which still further mingles the steam and the water by constantly changing the position of the jets in the drum.

The shaft is preferably provided with helical projections, which may take the form of a continuous rib or thread 8. The holes 7 may be located in this rib to give them greater length and thus enable them to direct the jet to better advantage. The helical projection sets up a current in the water lengthwise of the shaft, and if the speed of the shaft is sufficient, the water can be driven up an inclined floor 9 at one end of the drum and delivered by a curved overhanging guide 10 to a shallow pan l1 suitably suspended in the upper part of the drum. The Water trickles down through holes in the bottom of this pan and through its open end 12, and in passing through the patent statutes, we have described the princi 1c of operation of our invention, together with the apparatus which we now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but We desire to have it understood that the apparatus .shown is only illustrative, and that theinvention can be carried out by other means. i

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

s 1. A steam accumulator comprising a water-containing drum, a tubular shaft located therein and submerged inthe water, means for discharging steam, from the shaft in a manner to cause it to rotate, means for causing the water in the drum to circulate longitudinally thereof, a steam inlet and a steam outlet.

2. A steam accumulator comprising a drum containing steam and water, a tubular member located within the drum and in contact With the water, means for rotating the member, a peripheral helical projection on the member for causing the water in the drum to circulate longitudinally, a steam inlet and a steam outlet.

3. A steam accumulator comprising a drum containing water, a conduit for supplying steamthereto, a tubular member located within the drum and in contact with the Water, means carried by the member for rotating it, a means carried by the drum for causing the water in the drum to circulate from end to end thereof, and a conduit fortaking steam from the drum at a point above the water.

4. A steam accumulator comprising a drum containing water, a hollow member located in the water, means carried by the drum for rotating it and through which the steam flows, a conduit admitting steam to the member, means carried by the member for causing the water to circulate lengthwise of the drum, and a conduit receiving steam from the drum at a point-above the level of the water therein. 1

X 5. A steam accumulator comprising a drum containing water, a hollow member located in the water, means for rotating the member, means admitting steam to the member, means for causing the rotation of the member to produce a movement of the water lengthwise of the drum, a pan arranged to receive water due to the action of the said.

member, and an outlet for the steam.

6. A. steam accumulator comprising a drum containing .water a hollow member which is immersed in the water, a helical projection on the member that acts after the fashion of a screw pump, a pan arranged to receive Water due to the action of said member, an inlet for the exhaust steam, and an out-let for the steam. 7

7. A steam accumulator comprising a drum containing a body of water, an agitator located within the drum and rotating in the water,'a pan located above the agitator, means for discharging water received from the agitator into the pan, an exhaust steam inlet, and a steam outlet.

8. A steam accumulator comprising a closed drum containing a body of water to absorb the heat of the exhaust-steam and having an inclined floor at one end, a pan in the upper part of the accumulator adjacent 

